Showing posts with label 2009. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2009. Show all posts
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Missing Review: "The Lovely Bones"
Friday, October 22, 2010
Missing Review: "Gamer"
"Gamer" is officially one of the most atrocious movies I've ever seen. Forget the gore-fest, crass acts and underground raves-like; the ultra-dizzying camera cuts and shakes, fever-pitch noises, stark blinding colors are seizure-inducing. While the premise is positively intriguing, there's no redeeming quality whatsoever. Even Gerard Butler can't save this wearisome, senseless mayhem (and it's the villain, Michael C. Hall, who keeps me from walking out of the theater - not Butler). This is a 90-minute movie that felt like 2+ hours. The game's way over before the credit rolls!
DVD: http://tinyurl.com/2avjb2e
Saturday, May 22, 2010
"The Road"
An anti-thesis of "2012," "The Road" is an intimate, harsh portrait of a post-apocalyptic survival. It zooms at a microscopic level of a gut-wrenching family relationship in a bleak and blighted world without civilization. A world where the forecast is always outcast and barren with ruins. A world of starvation and savagery where decency and compassion is lost. Yet as the father and son tediously travels through this trechearous path, they learn that there's still a sliver of humanity left. Make no mistake about it, it is a *hard* film to watch, to say the least. But I do recommend it for a change from the typical CGI-filled doomsday disaster flicks.
Monday, May 17, 2010
"The Box"
Incredibly intriguing premise; push the button of a box given as a 'gift,' one gets a million dollar... and a stranger that you don't know dies. It deals with "What would you do? moral dilemma. Of course, by pushing the button, they suffer personal consequences. Unfortunately, the intrigue stops at the premise. While it is suspenseful, it looks superficially scary. Throughout and in the end, a huge letdown due to disconnected scenes and unexplainable chains of events (such a dreadful disappointment from 'Donnie Darko's Richard Kelly).
Sunday, May 16, 2010
"Up in the Air"
Smart, engaging, witty. Dialogue-intensive, it's sharply written with elements of compassion and empathy with a great dose of reality and human implications, and humor that hit on the right notes.
George Clooney, a suave corporate downsizer, plays that single bachelor, peripatetic lifestyle to the hilt with charm and wit. As he takes to the skies, crisscrosses the country, and lives off of his suitcase, he meets his match, Vera Farmiga's character who's every bit his equal. Non-committal, secretive, alluring, intelligent, successful and sophisticated. The spark is off the charts. Oftentimes it felt more like battle of the sexes. The other supporting character, Anna Kendrick, an astute, impassionate young woman just graduating from college has a certain naivety but is evenly comparable and matches Clooney line by line with ease and sass on the firing line. She delivers even the most cringe-inducing lines with a straight face and so competently. The use of real people and real stories of getting pink-slipped in this economy is a wise move and although hits too close to home. The ending is just right. It doesn't get tidily tied with a big red bow; like most things these days, it is... up in air. DVD: http://tinyurl.com/2f6evu6
"Sherlock Holmes"
A story of mystery, adventure and sorcery against the backdrop of cold damp London, Robert Downey Jr. certainly presents a different kind of "Sherlock Holmes." A cerebral character known for his intellect, his play of intellectual games and wit certainly do not disappoint. Clever rebuttals aside, this Holmes is also a buff action hero of sort. Blessed with ultra-sensitive senses and quick on his feet, and with the help of an equally mad, loyal sidekick Jude Law (who BTW, have terrific chemistry with RDJ) and feisty femme fatale Rachel McAdams, Holmes is deeper than smokescreens and mirrors. Don't let the illusion of black magic and wizardry fool you, all the dots are connected in the end. With slow beginning, it picks up momentum during the last third all the way to a rousing finish.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
"Avatar"
Absolutely astounding fantasy extravaganza. I was entirely immersed in this lush vortex of lively colors filled with floating mountains, living forests, glowing plants, thundering waterfalls, nimble beasts, flying dragon-birds, indigenous unicorns and Na'vis with bows and arrows.
Never before seen such photo-realistic, life-like CGIs. Simply put, we're finally there... Arguably the most celebrated, avant-garde director of our times, James Cameron really did it! Visionary and brilliant, he broke through the motion-capture tech frontier and breathes life into these tall, lithe, sparkly blue horse-cat like creatures with expressive faces and gracefully fluid movements. One of my most favorite scenes was the initiation of the young hunter into adulthood through flying navigation lessons. I felt like soaring and steering along.
Dazzling spectacles aside, the core story has emotional and spiritual connections between the characters and nature. The blazing guns and bombs and robotic machines come charging signify the intense destruction of the planet, and the struggle to preserve and protect its existence and longevity. The war of the two worlds, a hybrid of computer animation and live action, can feel a little laborious at times, but the cartoonish villain captain provides the needed relief. And "Avatar" is not just a technically stunning sci-fi, it also has an underlying love story with real human moments. You'll understand when it gets to "I.see.you" scene closer to the end.
All in all, I was immensely amazed and amused, "Avatar" is magical.
DVD: http://tinyurl.com/29h5e6j (blu-ray)
"2012"
Absolutely delivers on an epic scale! You know beforehand that you're going for the special effects. If you enjoyed world destructions in apocalyptic movies "Independence Day," "Day After Tomorrow," you'll surely enjoy this one. Roland Emmerich is "The Master of Disaster", hands down.
Calamity and chaos abound. The ways the grounds crack apart by massive earthquakes, open up and swallow everything in part and whole, the land mass carrying the cities that shift and slide into sea, the volcanoes that erupt and shoots of fire boiling terrains into molten lava, the tidal waves of tsunamis drowning the earth, the nations' landmarks and monuments tumble and crumble, the avalanche of smoke and ash that flood the air, people by the millions hang on for dear life and plunge to their deaths, the arks to house and preserve the last of humanity... all look gigantic, realistic and scary. I was blown away and had goose bumps watching all these unfold.
Sure, the "plot" and lines are implausible and cheesy (no way the heroes can outrun so many global catastrophes and dodge fallen buildings, cars, train - you name it - in the nick of time every single time, right? Who cares!)
Leave your logic outside, grab a bucket of popcorn and soda, enjoy the roller-coaster ride. This one is not only tons of fun; it's also breathtaking and gripping at the same time. Who knew the end of the world could be so entertaining!
DVD: http://tinyurl.com/2bjcncp
DVD: http://tinyurl.com/26ukejd (blu-ray)
Posted via email from The MovieMaven
"Law Abiding Citizen"
'Citizen' is morbidly, sickly, gruesomely entertaining. It's rare in movies when you're rooting for the bad guy. In this case, the "hero" (an unsympathetic one at that) could be deemed the villain as well.
And the villain's acts, of course, are not sustainable and justifiably ended eventually. But what bothers me though is the beliveability factor to pull off one asanine assasination after another. I understand that suspension of disbelief is a must, but not when it goes far beyond the borders of plausibility (something to do with the prison cell).
"Coco avant Chanel" & "Amelia"
"Coco avant Chanel" and "Amelia" are both mediocre. There are certain films that come with high expectations, such as "Coco avant Chanel" and "Amelia." Unfortunately, both are mediocre. These are larger than life figures, which should have translated into epic stories. But they're just... flat. The stories are almost running laterally, instead of having distinctive beginning, middle, ending, with dramatic apexes and valleys. Fame and glam, lush landscapes and costumes, decadent estates are enjoyable to look at, but not enough, as well as having the main actresses who resemble their real-life counterparts. In 'Chanel,' Audrrey Tautou looks the part, an aristocratic beauty with regal poise and understated elegance. In 'Amelia,' Hilary Swank looks the part of the tall, striking, short-cropped hair and freckle-faced, tomboyish Amelia with a feminine flair. With 'Chanel,' I wanted to see the dreams and desires, struggles and fights; a triumphant story behind a couture empire. Instead, it's more about the daily grind of life that goes through the motion and doesn't reveal much, tedious scenes after scenes that have no meaning or nothing to advance the story. The ending is rushed and unsatisfying. With 'Amelia,' I wanted to see the challenges, obstacles, adversity, tenacity before the rise to stardom, but the story literally skips major life stages and merely starts at the cusp of her being The "Amelia Earhart." The unconventional love story between Amelia and her publisher-husband is sweet, it shouldn't be at the expense of the life of this free-spirited adventurer, explorer, globe-trotter who daringly imagines and pushes the boundaries where no woman (or man) has gone before. Overall, they're both more of pretty pictures painted with brush strokes as opposed to painstakingly created masterpieces.
"Surrogates"
If you could be forever ageless and flawless, sharp and strong, living a perfectly safe life - wouldn't you want to be? Is it wrong to be super-shallow in a surreal world of highly airbrushed society? This is the basic premise of "Surrogates." An intriguing one that translates into something that may satisfy both the brawny and brainy types.
In a futuristic world where most of mankind is connected ("plugged in") via robotic version of themselves ("surrogate") - or anyone whom you envision you want to be - humans rarely, if ever, step outside their homes as they live vicariously through their alter-egos. But what happens when someone (or an entity) cracks the code and is able to do the impossible - murder the real human being through their avatar? Bruce Willis channels his "Die Hard" personality and embodies that weathered, tough cop who does the right thing in the end. The special effects not only buttress but essential to the story. If there are flaws, the short running time (88 minutes) contributes to the convoluted conspiracy storyline; it prevents the story and characters to be fleshed out and toned. Overall it's compelling, engaging, thought-provoking, yet fast-moving, action-packed - and entertaining to boot.
"Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs"
SUNNY in food paradise! Truly a feast for the eyes and treat for the tongue at every turn. Ingenious, bright, funny. No deep moral lessons or heavy sentiments; just one big, hilariously entertaining ride from start to finish. And the 3-D is utilized to the max and worth every penny! Anyone who loves food and is a kiddie at heart should definitely see this! :-)
"Love Happens"
It's not a typical, fluffy romantic comedy. I think the title is misleading. It's more of a story about the process of confronting one's fear, dealing with the grief of one's loss, and moving on with life. It's a heavy subject wrapped in a light package. There are lighthearted moments, which is a nice contrast with the background of perpetual-misty Seattle (actually shot in Canada 'tho). It's probably got its low marks from having an identity crisis; it doesn't know what it wants to be (melodrama or rom-com), and it's fragmented (focus split among different characters), not to mention the cliches and overgloss of such meaty materials.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
"Whiteout"
Has very cool photography of icescapes, tense thriller with claustrophobic feel, but riddled with illogical holes.
"Ponyo"
Different. I'm so used to seeing "life-like," realistic animation that I was intrigued by this old-fashioned, hand-drawn cartoon and the clip shown at the Con was pretty suspenseful (for kids' standard). It's rarity. The scenes, aside from the animated characters, are like matte-painting.
"GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra"
A chaotic mess; bland characters, blurry actions (you can't tell which ones are which), all glitz and gizmos, over-the-top flash, overkill of CGI, cartoonish extended sequence (you'll know which when you see it), tedious in some aspects - but it's entertaining, popcorn summer blockbuster. But it rivals the inspidity (if not more) of 'Transformers 2.' Just check your brain at the door, lay back, and enjoy the exhilarating, fantasy-ride!
"Julie & Julia"
A delightful concoction, well-balanced culinary journey with sparkling personalities.
"Up"
Way UP awesome. Breathtaking colors, sad, funny, suspenseful, uplifting. It's a story of adventure, fun, heartbreak and fond memories that uniquely appeals to adults and kids. Kids will certainly enjoy the colorful adventures in the jungle of South America and fast-talking, cute animal characters and resourceful, chubby scout. Adults can relate to a life story of boy meets girl, youth fantasy, marriage, broken dreams, and a life's worth of reflections.
"X-Men Origins: Wolverine"
"Wolverine" promises to tell a story of the origin of this magnetic mutant, feral creature with a heart of gold. Opening with brief childhood scenes, it glosses over and sprints to adulthood through violent montages. In the end, we're left wondering of who and why "Wolverine" is the way he is.
I've wanted to witness a life journey and evolution of the human behind the steel claws. A story that is character-driven where the characters are drilled down to the core, connected and developed. A story that delves into the ferocious inner conflicts and progression of the antagonistic relationships with his brother. Instead, we're treated to a weak background, fleeting moments, repeated non-life threatening brotherly duels. This decade has elevated the bar for superhero movies, so I don't think it's unrealistic to expect such. As a human being, 'Logan' (if this is his real name, it doesn't jive with 'Jimmy' as his family calls him) and his relationships do not grow. It seems like he and his brother end in square one, exactly the way they started in the beginning. If I have to rate "Wolverine," it's definitely sub-par compared to the first two "X-Men," but it is better than the third one in the series. Like X3, it favors flash over substance. Heavy-laden CGI chases and explosions aiming for the 'shock & awe' factor, all fine and dandy for the eyes - if only they're not front and center, and accompanied with a story not lacking in origin and evolution. In other words, this could have been a far greater piece. It tries to cram too many unrelated, unsubstantial characters that add nothing to the story. It advances the plot of revenge of a loved one by leaving the body unburied in the woods, figuratively and literally speaking. Hugh Jackman, with imposing presence and charisma, is the saving grace. Although the real scene stealer is actually Sabertooth, who instills absolute primal fear with his blood-thirsty nature and sports-killing habit. It's a grand spectacle, just like the "Spiderman," "Batman," and "Iron Man" before him. It captivates and thrills as one menacing scene races after another, and there's a 'wow' sense after it ends. However, unlike the previous ingenuous trio that engage the mind and connect the heart on a deeper level, it doesn't stick with me long after.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
